Patients & Families

Families managing diabetes in children need as much support as possible. We hope your family will find these diabetes resources helpful.   

Diabetes Education for Families  

Education is an important part of our program. We offer a wide variety of classes to support you and your child in managing diabetes. 

• Each class is held twice per month in both English and Spanish. 
• The Basic Skills Class covers Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
• The Nutrition and Insulin class is available to children and adolescents with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.  
• Each class is two to four hours long. 
• Up to two family members or caregivers can attend these classes with their child. 
• No siblings under age seven, please. 
• Please bring a list of questions and concerns to class. 

Basic Skills Class

Taught by our knowledgeable diabetes nurse educators, this class is required for new patients and recommended whenever a review is needed. Some topics covered include:

• Communicating with your child’s diabetes team 
• Understanding diabetes complications, including ketoacidosis and sick days 
• Monitoring blood glucose levels 
• Understanding diabetes medications 
• Working with your school 
• Handling an emergency related to diabetes  

Nutrition and Insulin Class

Nutrition goes hand-in-hand with managing diabetes in children. Led by our insightful dietitians, this class covers: 

• How each of the food groups affects blood glucose 
• Which foods should be avoided
• Balancing glucose and insulin 
• Measuring servings and food portions
• The role carbohydrates play in diabetes  

Both classes provide hands-on instruction, visual demonstrations and helpful discussion activities for families managing diabetes in children and adolescents.